On March 8, SUNY New Paltz students had the opportunity to engage with Jenny Rachel Weiner, a successful writer on many accounts. Weiner visited campus for the majority of her day, beginning with visiting a few classes focused on creative writing and finishing the day with a presentation open to all students. The event was very sought-after, with over 70 students and faculty who waited in line to enter the Honors Center that evening — eager to meet the writer.
Weiner has several successes under her belt, across many different mediums of creative writing. She has written movies, plays and television shows, some of which include notable names from Hollywood. From Jennifer Lawrence to Elizabeth Banks, Weiner’s works have had their fair share of the spotlight.
Among her many written works, which she refers to as her “babies,” the most special to her heart is her play titled “Horse Girls,” which follows a group of middle schoolers who have their own horse club. “Of all my children, Horse Girls is my sweetest baby,” Weiner said.
This snappy script is peppered with raunchy comedic lines and out-of-pocket humor, which explains why it is performed across the globe. This piece of work has made Weiner the most proud, as it has its own life in the world without her; she feels like her work is done.
The presentation began with a staged reading of this enjoyable play, featuring a handful of New Paltz’s students. Directed by fourth-year digital media and production major Carlin Feck, the snippet of the play was perfectly chosen to give a taste of Weiner’s humor and writing abilities.
“I had about two weeks to prepare the cut of the play, cast it, get everyone’s availability and rehearse. I chose most of the actors from Aaron’s Craft of Playwriting class, which I teacher assist,” Feck shared. “That class includes a lot of workshopping and reading plays aloud so I had a good idea of who could be a strong horse girl.”
The cut of the play had the audience engaged in their seats, laughing at the ridiculous remarks the characters made, as they do not speak like typical middle school girls.
“We got the chance to run the scene with Jenny once right before the event, and she was so excited about it. She was especially happy with the casting. She even told me that if she’d seen these six girls without knowing who was who, she’d cast it the same way I did,” Feck said. “Then I felt like the crowd was giggling and really happy to see it, too. It was a great way for them to understand Jenny’s work before she spoke.”
It’s not every day that students can meet the playwright of the dialogue they’re speaking before the performance, and this was a heartwarming experience for all involved.
“It was awesome that so many people came. It’s really important to support guests who take time out of their schedules come speak on campus, and it’s important to support the people who worked hard to set the events up,” Feck said.
The majority of Weiner’s talk was conversation-based, inviting the audience to ask questions and direct the flow of the discussion rather than having a prepared dialogue to tell the crowd. As an audience member, it was more welcoming to have this approach, as it made the entire event feel like a giant group chatting together — like friends hanging out.
Most of the questions coming from the audience were related to the creative aspect of writing and how Weiner’s typical process flows. She provided anecdotes and advice for aspiring writers in the crowd, explaining that creative ideas stem from people’s experiences of life.
“Limitations are so thrilling. Life is full of limitations,” Weiner said.
Weiner takes inspiration from the things she sees around her, turning events and interesting people in her life into fictional entities. Recalling a story about her family arguing, Weiner shared that her mother said, “You’re gonna write about this, aren’t you?” The writer encouraged the audience to take note of their surroundings and use the things they perceive as inspiration.
Although she is devoted to playwriting, Weiner wrote a movie for Universal Studios entitled “Who Invited Her,” as well as a pilot for FX starring Kate Upton called “Fame Whore.” She dove into her experience with the creative method behind writing a pilot, and the things she did to create her own. The writer discussed lots of research methods, including watching and reading scripts of pilot episodes. She attempted to immerse herself in the medium being created, which the students were excited to learn about.
“Storytelling is storytelling,” Weiner said. “What’s the container for that story?”
In addition to advice on writing, she provided some food for thought about receiving criticism from others, a useful skill for young adults entering the world. One theme she tried to portray throughout her entire discussion is the importance of keeping authenticity in your words.
It is such a wonderful experience to have someone who has succeeded in her field come and speak about her personal story — making it seem a bit less daunting to young individuals who are entering the same field.
For more information about Weiner visit her website, www.jennyrachelweiner.com as she is working on many new and exciting projects!
